Here's another product I've come across in the gardening section of the local home center. They call it a plant "vitalizer." I just picked up a small bottle today. It was pretty expensive. Anybody ever heard of it? It might be available in the states, I'm not sure. They have a facebook page and here is a link to check out. http://www.hb-101.co.jp/flora-e_html/hb-101/index.html After I try it for a while I'll post my thoughts on how well it works. I'm trying to find some kinda magic ingredients to super boost up my grows.
It looks like a fert that has been specialized for use also as a foliar feed by adding naturally occurring saponins (soap).
It's fertish, but it's "made from the essences of cedars, pines, Japanese cypress, and plantains", which seems odd to me. Also it was crazy expensive. I bought a small bottle, like 100ml, and it was 25 bucks. I hope this stuff works out. I'm looking for some secret formulas. asssit:
Thinking that's where they derive the saponins. All those plants have a history of use in soap making.
1) There's no analysis of what's in it anywhere on the page (guess it's not required in Japan like in the US) 2) "All you have to do is dilute HB-101 with water" so it's actually not organic, it's synthetic. 3) There's so many ingredients in it, and in what proportions they give not an inkling of an idea. Using this product will make it tough to assert control over what nutrients you're giving your plants. You'll be making a lot of assumptions. 4) it sounds like Miracle Gro on steroids, and is probably more dangerous also. I'm sure there is/are a (combination of) magic ingredient(s) to super boost your grows, and how you arrive at its discovery is for you to decide. However, instead of flipping coins why not think about it and see if you can come up with a few potential bottle-neck areas, and inspect them more closely? Res, please, you are welcome to jump in on the brain-storm train.
Storm away guys:jj: Any foliar feed supplemented with a small amount of organic soap (glycerol + fatty acid) or a saponin (glycoside + lipophilic (fat) is going to improve efficiency. Simplified I know, but it gets the concept across. The idea is to permeate the protective oils and wax on leaf surfaces to allow better absorption. It can also work as a suffocant for fungi or mildews as a side benefit. So the idea that the product could be effective is reasonable. Like Og, the only concern is what levels and sources of nutrients are being used? I'd easily consider it as a foliar (which seems the original intent of the product) but be slow to introduce it to my soil.
Wow I did not know that. I might have to give that a shot. Hank, I misspoke there and should've been clearer. Anything stating "just add water" translates to "this product entirely circumvents the soil food web, and therefore exists in stark contradiction to mother nature's processes." You are correct, HB-101 is organic, and so is apple juice no matter how much water you add to it. So are propane, butane, and pentane, or any other member of the Alkane family. In fact they are the purest organic compounds on earth, composed entirely of 4-bond carbons and hydrogens. Doesn't mean we should go pump 87 octane into our plants' soil.
How exactly does a fert needing to be diluted equal "circumventing the soil food web"? You are right to say that just because something is organic doesn't necessarily mean it's good for your plants, but it doesn't mean it's bad for them either, so I'm not sure what your point is.
I didn't do a side by side comparison or anything, but I've been using the HB-101 for my 600 tent veg cycle and the plants look great and have been growing very well. http://www.hb-101.co.jp/flora-e_html/hb-101/ingredient.html The nutrient listing shows it having lots of nitrogen, but doesn't list phosphorous or potassium at all. I've been running my used soil through a screen, adding some chicken poop and recycling it, as well. So, there must be plenty of Nitrogen in there. I haven't seen any nute burn, or deficiencies, at all. Everything looks healthy. :read2:
